What’s the big deal?

I don’t know where this comes from, but when I talk to guys like you about UV and skin cancer, I keep hearing that it is not a big deal; that it can just be cut out.Wow…if that what you reckon, you probably also thought the Datsun 180B was a hot rod.

I don’t want to have a rant here, but if something has the word “cancer” in it, then it generally means that you’re in big cat country.I can’t understand why people don’t get this.

Sure, I know we have all met someone who went to the doctor and they just cut out the offending spot, and he was back to work the next day, but it’s not always that easy.And do you really want to take the risk?

I’ll make it simple for you all. The fact is that it can turn into a big deal if you don’t use sun protection at work.

Skin cancer is one of the most preventable cancers, yet more people die from it than on the roads each year in Australia.How often do you hear about the road toll on the news?You don’t hear about skin cancer because it happens too often to make it news worthy.Think about that!!

While many skin cancers can be cut out, some skin cancers need chemotherapy, major surgery, and lots of time off work.If you are unlucky they can kill you. And even if it is “just cut out” sometimes they need to take out a big chunk of skin to get all the cancer out, which can leave some pretty big holes in you.

And what about this?If you are getting treatment for cancer then that’s time off work, which can mean seriously reduced income during this time.So not only are you worried about having cancer, but you are also worried about paying the bills.Trust me, this is something that none of us want.

I don’t want to get all emotional, but people who have had skin cancer often say they worry that it might come back.Who needs that sort of worry in their life?

So do what I did and check out the stories on the website of some guys who have had skin cancer and are willing to be honest about it.Some are tough to hear, especially those told by their family and friends, but I hope it will help you realise that skin cancer is serious business and isn’t something that just happens to older guys.It’s worth putting on a shirt, hat and sunscreen to avoid it happening to us

SunSmart App

UV levels change throughout the day, so be sure to check the UV forecast for where you are working. An easy way to do this is to download the SunSmart app for iOS | Android | Samsung to keep track of the UV levels via your smartphone.